How to Reduce the Noise in Your Photos When They're Captured

Noise is the enemy of photographers everywhere, and we spend a ton of time discussing different post-processing software and techniques for reducing it as much as possible. But reducing noise starts from the moment you choose your camera settings. This fantastically comprehensive video will show you what noise is, why it appears in your photos, and numerous ways you can mitigate it in camera. 

Coming to you from Will Goodlet, this excellent video discusses how camera noise works and what you can do to mitigate it in camera. One particularly good tip Goodlet makes that I think gets overlooked a lot is the importance of considering the final image you want to create (with regards to exposure), particularly when you are relying on the camera's built-in metering. As he shows, you often want to create an image that is actually relatively dark overall (his silhouette photo, for example), and if you do not anticipate your camera's metering behavior and dial in some degree of exposure compensation to account for this, you will end up with an overexposed shot or at least be forced to use a much higher ISO than necessary. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Goodlet.

Alex Cooke's picture

Alex Cooke is a Cleveland-based portrait, events, and landscape photographer. He holds an M.S. in Applied Mathematics and a doctorate in Music Composition. He is also an avid equestrian.

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4 Comments

"This fantastically comprehensive video"?
Nope. How about some objectivity rather than cheerleading superlative fluff?

There is no objectivity or cheerleading when discussing facts. It is in fact very comprehensive.

Excellent video. Will take a bit to integrate some of this info into my shooting style. Very helpful as I am into shooting primarily with micro four thirds gear.

(Then again I love some noise for certain shots... especially when I'm shooting street late at night with the Olympus body cap lenses :) gives me the old school high ISO film look with little effort.)

Great educational video. Helps me rethink my own style of shooting. It is actually a very good reminder of some basic photography rules concerning light and its important influence on image quality.